WhatsApp is putting an end to the chatbot invasion. Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, has quietly updated its Business API policy to prohibit general-purpose AI assistants from operating on its platform, a decision that will send ripples through the fast-growing ecosystem of WhatsApp-based bots. From OpenAI’s ChatGPT to AI helpers by Perplexity, Luzia, and Poke, several companies have been building assistants on WhatsApp to tap into its staggering user base of over 3 billion. But starting January 15, 2026, those days are numbered. The new policy explicitly bars “AI providers” from distributing or hosting general-purpose assistants through WhatsApp’s Business API.
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